The Sun Always Sets
by LadyXi
Summary: *Reupload* Empress Xīyǒu was the proud empress of China, but she was not all that the grandiose praise made her to be. When her path crosses with the first Furious Five, they must survive the fall of a dynasty as Xīyǒu throws away everything in pursuit of maintaining her fantasy.
1. Preface

**Preface**

 _Not so long ago now, there lived a beautiful empress who ruled over us all. One look at her, and you could tell why. From her lilac fur and forked tail, to her, most interestingly, red jewel on her forehead. Whilst her large ears and tufted cheeks gave her a feline appearance, she was in fact anything but. Some said she was a spirit, who travelled to our world. Others said she was nothing less than a goddess. And who could blame them? For such a small being, she possessed unbelievable power. Magic; the likes of which we_ _'d never seen. Magic that shone in her paws as if she were holding the sunlight itself. Magic that, in her benevolence, she might share with us. To protect us, to give us light, to give us hope that we might one day reach the lofty throne upon which she sits. She told us her name was_ _Xīyǒu_ _, and we could believe it. It means "rare", or "uncommon", and she certainly was that._

 _Yes, it wasn't long before we put the puzzle pieces together. If this creature had such power, to seemingly create sunlight out of nothing, then who better to lead us? A goddess and an empress, all in one. She would watch over us with her celestial strength, and we in turn would show our gratitude. No creature was as loved as our dear sun goddess. Loved by all, admired by all, worshipped by all. Yes, there were still times of disharmony and battle, but Empress_ _Xīyǒu_ _was always there to lead us through it. For a while, we were happy._

 _But puzzles can be fickle. Sometimes the wrong pieces still fit together, to form a distorted reality of a once beautiful picture._


	2. Before the Dawn

**Before the Dawn**

"A-and that's why I propose that we begin reducing the amount of farmland we have in the valley to make way for mines," a scruffy ferret-badger clutched nervously at his hat, before bowing hastily and adding, "your majesty." His poorly-brushed fur was deceiving given his apparent position of power. The empress could not help but wonder if all the lower-downs were this ill groomed.

His voice echoed off the walls of the spacious throne room. The room was almost impressive in its humble emptiness, but the bare walls and vast floor betrayed an emotion far more sombre. The only decorations, aside from the throne itself, were heavy pillars of jade. Each one engraved with the depiction of a feline; large pointed ears, forked tail, and a jewel on its forehead.

In front of the visitor sat the feline herself. Her tail slowly swayed and she rested her head on her paw, looking for all the world as if she were bored, but a light in her eyes showed attention and patience. The red jewel on her forehead gleamed in the light, perfectly matching the red cloak she had donned. It seemed baggy and a few sizes to big perhaps, marked with a beautiful golden sun on the back and golden trim. It seemed too simple for someone of royalty, yet too extravagant to be of anything else. The cloak was drawn together at the front to preserve modesty, as beneath she wore a better-fitting black piece.

"I will put it up for consideration," she spoke. She had a firm authority in her voice, but her tone was gentle and airy.

"Your majesty, I was hoping for a mor-more decisive answer. The sooner we get started, the better, I mean..." The ferret-badger shuffled forwards, ears flat against his head.

"I understand, but these things take time. There are countless things to consider; the costs, the jobs, the trade... I will consider it. Now, if you please..." Her purple eyes betrayed her attempt at politeness, and darted to the door. The ferret-badger understood immediately, his relief no doubt greater than hers at this chance to escape.

"Oh! Uh, o-of course, of course." He placed his hat back on his head and bowed again. "Thank you so much for your time."

Once he had left, the empress buried her face in her paws, rubbing her eyes.

"Why... Why did you insist on bringing that before me, and not one of the nobles or something?" She shot a sharp glare to the captain of her guard, a brown stag with a white muzzle, but a playful smirk crept to her lips.

"Empress Xīyǒu, we think it would be good idea if you were more personally involved with the citizens," the stag replied. He was impressively tall, the empress had always thought - or was that just compared to her?

"But... But... It's first thing in the morning!" She buried her face again, muffling her speech, "...and I was looking forward to my lie-in..."

"Aren't you concerned that the citizens might find you..." The stag looked around the room, his gaze falling on the pillars engraved with her likeness, "...Unapproachable? Uncaring?"

Xīyǒu gave a dramatic sigh and flattened her ears, as if she were pondering this heavily. She preferred to keep an "air of mysteriousness" as she called it. It was never a bad thing to stop people sticking their noses where they shouldn't, after all. Regardless, she could not deny that she was craving company, if her aloof and casual attitude around her guards were any indication.

"You're right. As always." Suddenly, as if new life had been breathed into her, she sprung to her feet. "And that brings me to my next action point! I'm taking a road trip!"

The stag guard looked at her, baffled. "You're...what?"

"Taking a road trip! Well, a short one. Maybe a day or two," She planted a paw proudly on her chest, "planned it all myself. You see, I've been talking a lot about how you guys... Guards... Guy-guards, are relatively untrained compared to what I've heard about other fighters."

"You... Have?" The stag responded, a slight irritation to his voice.

"Yes, and might as well say it's true about the army, too." She began to pace as she continued, "so anyway that's not important, what's important is that I've been hearing a lot about this "Kung Pow" thing, and I want to see how viable it would be to teach it to the guard and army. You know, beef you up a bit." She sat herself back in her throne and grinned, clearly very pleased with herself. The guards, mostly made up of rhinos, looked at each other, trying to decide silently who was going to take this one. One of the rhinos cleared his throat and stepped up.

"You're talking about Kung Fu? You're not just saying this because of what happened during your visit to the Valley of Peace, are you?"

"Yes," Xīyǒu leaned back, looking smug, "yes I am."

The memory played through her mind all to well; she had been visiting the Valley as one of her "increase local support" schemes advised by her council, when it had been ransacked by bandits. That's when _they_ arrived. They were amazing, they were furious, and there sure was five of them. No, wait, six if you count the tortoise. Xīyǒu had been awe-struck by their incredible fighting prowess. Why, she could even remember all of them! An elephant, an owl, a snow leopard, a rooster and a red panda. They took care of the bandits without a problem, and left as quickly as they came. She had been smitten with the idea ever since.

The guards looked at her blankly as she relived this memory to herself; dreamy expression plastered on her face. The stag gave a loud, forced cough, snapping her back to reality.

"So, as I was saying, you're all going to learn Kung Fu at some point. But me, I'm going to the Jade Palace!" She jumped to her feet again and posed proudly. She had a lot of energy for one so small, "send them a scroll to let them know I'm coming. I want to see the best they have to offer. Jian, you are to accompany me."

The stag's ears perked up at the mention of his name, and he nodded with a smile. As she began to leave, one of the guards spoke up.

"Empress Xīyǒu, are you sure about this? Don't you think that with the guards, and the army, and... You, we are safe enough?"

Xīyǒu paused for a moment, and a scowl vanished across her face almost as soon as it had appeared. It was not in reaction to the guard's comment, but to a much uglier emotion. Her voice was colder, but perhaps not noticeably enough.

"... I have already made my decision. Inform the Jade Palace as soon as you can. I am leaving for it tomorrow." As she continued her path to the exit, she turned around, suddenly back to her jovial self.

"Besides, I've already packed!"

And with that, the large doors closed, the dull thud echoing throughout the silent throne room.


	3. Morning Breaks at the Jade Palace

**Morning Breaks at the Jade Palace**

 _Clink._

The sound of a small scroll being dropped at the entrance to the Jade Palace, at the feet of Master Oogway. The scroll itself was plain, like that you could find in any village, yet it was bound with a lustrous gold ribbon. A smile crept to the old tortoise's face. A humble scroll, yet dressed up in riches. He knew exactly who this was from. _It's about time!,_ he thought to himself with a chuckle. Picking up the scroll, he made his was to the barracks' kitchen, where his students were beginning their day.

* * *

Shifu sat at the end of the breakfast table, mulling over his drink. He did not feel like eating today. The other four - Elephant, Rooster, Snow Leopard and Fenghuang - were engaging in mindless banter and chitchat. Shifu wanted no part in it. He had had a very disappointing week, and felt as if this disappointment had spread through every system in his body, dragging down both limb and mind. He looked down at his tea hoping that, if he were quiet enough, the others would just forget he was there.

"-Ain't that right, Shifu?" He was ripped violently from both thought and his seat as the powerful elephant elbowed him in what was sure to be intended as a friendly nudge.

"Err.." Shifu paused as he climbed back to his seat, "Yes, right. Right."

The chatter stopped and they all looked at him. Elephant began to apologise, but Rooster cut in.

"Is everything alright?" He asked, with great concern and greater hesitation in his voice. "You're not usually caught off guard so easily", he added.

"I'm fine." Shifu mumbled in return. His ear twitched with agitation. He was dangerously close to just walking out of the room, but knew that would just incite more questions and concern. One of them might even follow him. Ugh.

"I know you're boring, but you're being even more boring than usual," Fenghuang joked. She chuckled at her own joke, but only Snow Leopard was polite enough to join in. Shifu didn't respond, simply rolling his eyes and focusing on his untouched tea. Just as the atmosphere seemed to settle, Master Oogway entered the room.

"Good morning, students!" Oogway smiled. He always seemed to be smiling, Shifu noted. The students all gave a half-bow from their seated positions and wished him good morning in unison. Oogway seemed not to notice.

"I have some interesting news for you today," he said as he waved the unopened scroll in his hand, "the empress will be visiting us!"

The five stared at him blankly.

"But... You haven't even opened it yet," Elephant used his trunk to gesture to the scroll, still sealed with the ribbon.

"Oh? Silly me," Oogway chuckled, but it was an all too knowing chuckle, as if he were playing dumb. He undid the ribbon and read the scroll.

"Yes, it appears the empress will be visiting us here. She says to expect her today or tomorrow. She wants to experience the best Kung Fu in the land, first-hand, and wants to see what my students have to offer." Oogway closed the scroll and addressed his students once more.

"To any of you interested in taking part, I invite you to come up with a sequence to present to the empress, as I'm sure she'd want."

The group immediately burst into chatter, about how excited they were, how their particularly awesome Kung Fu will be sure to impress the empress and her entourage. Why, they might even be invited to live in her palace and train the imperial army! They all got lost in their fantastical scenarios, boasting about their styles and manoeuvres. All except Shifu, who felt his disappointment replaced with a new but equally sickening emotion, nervousness. Since he had accepted that he would not be the Dragon Warrior himself, he had begun entertaining a new, divided fantasy; one, that he would be the one to train and teach the Dragon Warrior, and two, that instead he would one day make Oogway proud by impressing the empress herself with his Kung Fu skills. He just had not expected the opportunity to fulfil one of them to arrive so quickly. He wasn't ready! Not after his abysmal performance this week!

Oogway couldn't help but notice that the young red panda was noticeably less thrilled than his cohorts. He approached him, placing a large clawed hand on Shifu's shoulder. Well, it was more on both shoulders, given his size.

"Don't worry Shifu," Oogway spoke gently, his voice lost to the other four amidst the bustle. "I'm sure the empress understands what it is like to be doubtful of one's skills." He gave a chuckle, but saw that Shifu was not joining in. He leaned towards him, and in a half-whisper added, "I know you'll do me proud."

It was only then that Shifu showed any sign that he had heard anything at all, and looked up, half in hope and half in fear. But Oogway had already left the room. Shifu turned his attention to his fellow students.

"I can't believe it! What an honour," Snow Leopard interjected, her eyes lit up.

"I don't know why any of you would even bother trying, seeing as I'm _clearly_ the most impressive, and it's only a matter of time until the empress sees that herself." Fenghuang posed proudly, wing on her chest.

"No body likes a glory hog... Or should I say glory owl?" Snow Leopard added, playfully pushing Fenghuang. The two shared a laugh.

"What about you, Shifu?" Elephant enquired.

"Of course he will. Shifu's always wanted a chance to do this." Rooster interrupted. Shifu gave him a flat look. He had told him that in _confidence_!

"Oh, I, um..." Shifu hesitated, unsure of himself. He weighed up the potential of impressing the empress, against the potential of making a fool of himself in front of not only his comrades, but the empress, the string of imperial guards she will no doubt bring, and... Oogway. But one thought tipped the scales.

 _I know you'll do me proud._

Resolute, Shifu picked up his long-cold drink, and began to leave the room.

"Rooster's correct. Of course I will be taking part. If the empress thinks she is impressed with Kung Fu, well, she hasn't seen anything yet." He left the kitchen and headed towards the training hall, wondering why when his words carried confidence, they seemed to carry it away from his mind, too.


	4. So Dawn Goes Down to Day

**So Dawn Goes Down to Day**

"I can't help but feel this palace is more elaborate than mine," the empress said wistfully, as she gazed up at the Jade Palace. It was truly majestic in the morning sun, standing proud as a testament to China itself.

"Your majesty, we decorated your palace strictly under your own instructions," Jian spoke, hoping that this visit wasn't going to inspire a re-decoration plan.

"Quite." Xīyǒu responded, dull. She headed towards the impressive doors and stood before them. "How magnificent this place is! And to think, it didn't take us long to get here at all," she added, leaning against the door on her tiptoes, seeing the highest point she could reach.

"And we could have gotten here even quicker, had you not insisted we stopped at every souvenir shop in the valley," Jian muttered.

"Stop giving me sass and start helping me look my best for my introduction," Xīyǒu began brushing down her cloak, making sure not a speck of dust would mar the beautiful silk. Jian patted down her shoulders and back, though it all seemed to make no difference to him. Clearing her throat, Xīyǒu knocked on the doors. No answer.

"Well that's rude!" Xīyǒu knocked again, but still no one came. "What, are these Kung Fu masters too stuck up to come and say hello to their dear empr-"

"Good morning, your majesty," came a voice from behind her. She jumped round, fur on end, only to see an old tortoise standing beside a surprised Jian. Master Oogway smiled and dipped his head in a bow, a gesture that the empress did not return. "I didn't expect to see you so early."

"It seems you didn't expect me at all," Xīyǒu replied, glowering, "no one is answering your door."

"My students must be training already," Oogway chuckled. Xīyǒu's fur puffed a little in anger. Not anger at the situation, but anger that the old tortoise seemed to be completely ignoring her indignant attitude. "Come." Motioning with his staff, Oogway led Xīyǒu and Jian towards the training hall.

 _This is it?_ Xīyǒu thought to herself. _No grand introduction? Just taking me to them, rather than the other way around?_ She felt more confusion than anger, as she did not really mind in the least. Sometimes she preferred a more... Subdued interaction. It made her feel less guilty. _Now's not the time to dwell on that._ She beat back the thoughts that threatened to intrude. She had gotten good at that over the years. _Let's just try to have a good time at the_ \- oof! Xīyǒu was winded as Oogway's staff knocked her in the stomach. Not intentionally, of course, but the tortoise had lowered it horizontally to block their path, and she had walked right into it. At least, she didn't _think_ it was intentional. But that tortoise sure seemed sneaky. He raised his staff and smiled at her.

"What are you-" She took greedy gasps of air as she looked up, and saw that he had led them into a large hall in the midst of, what appeared to be, utter chaos. Oogway's students were certainly going all-out. Xīyǒu stared in awe. While it at first seemed chaotic and messy she noticed, if she focused on one at a time, how akin it was to an art or a dance. In the centre of the room, two students brawled; an elephant and a red panda. The elephant charged towards the red panda with tremendous force, but his fist only crashed into the ground in an explosion of dust. The red panda was far too nimble, and launched himself off the elephant's forearm to deliver several swift kicks to his face. With a quickness that defied his size, the elephant used his trunk to grab the red panda's foot and slam him into the ground.

Still awestruck, Xīyǒu's attention shifted to the students training around the fighting pair. A snow leopard, an owl and a rooster - just like she remembered - were training independently, seemingly (and literally, in the case of the owl) flying from one piece of equipment to the next. They seemed to flow so naturally, as if they had been doing this routine since the day they were born. Each strike had the precision of a weapon, yet seemed to pack even more of a destructive force.

 _Now this is strength,_ Xīyǒu thought. A spark of admiration gleamed in her eyes. _How long and hard they must have trained just to be here right now! How determined and devoted they must be to their craft, and how it shows in their skill! No wonder they are so respected; a respect they no doubt deserve, and have earned._ A familiar emotion bubbled to the surface. Guilt, and the fear of guilt, wormed its way into her mind, poisoning her thoughts and souring her expression. _It needn't be this way._ An idea lit up in her mind, as if it were the light at the end of a tunnel. _Not just the army and the guard - imagine if I were to learn such a skill!_ Another thought quickly extinguished that light. As if she, the empress, would be caught dead becoming a student to another. The path to improvement is laced with failure after failure, and she did not - could not! - fail at anything. _Never mind_ , she frowned.

Xīyǒu wasn't really sure what to do next. She wanted to address them all, but they hadn't even seen her come in, all too wrapped up in their training to notice. She turned to Master Oogway, as if to ask for help, but both Oogway and Jian were attentively watching the impressive show of Kung Fu in front of them. Xīyǒu sighed and stepped forward, clearing her throat. She was not sure how she was going to make herself heard over the noise, but by the gods, she was going to do it. Luckily, someone had already heard her. The young red panda, whose large ears afforded him such sensitive hearing, was distracted enough to look over. Upon seeing the empress in the hall, he was dumbstruck. _What?! How can she be here already?! It's far too soon!_ His distraction proved fatal, as it allowed Elephant to deliver a powerful blow, knocking Shifu smack into Rooster, and the two landed in a crumpled heap at the feet of a very startled Xīyǒu, who flinched as if they had actually hit her.

"...Uh, need a hand?"

Shifu looked up, and saw a lilac paw outstretched. _The empress!_ He looked up at her properly. She seemed very... Bright. As if sunlight emanated from her. The stories must be true. Suddenly, Rooster's wing appeared from no where.

"Thanks!" Rooster clucked, as he grabbed her hand and lifted himself up. He dusted himself down, jumped and then bowed hastily. "Oh! I mean, uh, thank you, your majesty." Xīyǒu smiled, and then extended her hand to Shifu.

"No, I'm... I'm quite fine," Shifu helped himself up. He did not follow the same etiquette as his friend, as panic was already setting in. How long were they going to get to practice, anyway? Did she want them to perform now? In a month? Why were the members of the royalty and council so irritatingly vague, as if there were no other schedules in the world but their own?

The commotion had caught the attention of the other three students, who soon paused their practice to gather around. They all expressed some positive emotion or another, Xīyǒu noted, from eagerness to pride. All except the red panda, who looked like he'd just been insultingly slapped in the face. Xīyǒu took a deep breath.

"Good morning, students of the great Master Oogway. I am your empress, Xīyǒu, but you may call me Xi whilst I am here. My guards have advised me to keep things informal and friendly." She turned to Jian and winked. Jian planted his face in his hoof. "As you are probably aware, I am here to watch you... Do... Kung Fu. I would like you to come up with some kind of performance, and demonstrate it to me next week. Whomever I think is most impressive, will be coming with me back to the palace to train the imperial guards and army in your style. Unless, um, you don't want to then..." Her eyes darted nervously as she shuffled in place, not sure what to say, "...Then I'll see you around, I guess?" She followed it up with a shrug and turned to Oogway. "Okay, I think that's it. I'd like to be shown around now, please. Let's leave your students to practice." Jian and Xīyǒu left the room, followed closely by Oogway. Just before he left the doorway, Oogway looked back at his students. It was only a brief glance, but Shifu was sure he saw something in Oogway's eyes. Some kind of emotion, but he wasn't sure what... Remorse, perhaps? But why...

It didn't matter, Oogway had gone.

No sooner had the empress left than the students had begun their discussion.

"I can't believe we just met the empress!"

"She's so small, I always imagined her bigger."

"Hey, she's taller than Rooster."

"Hey! At least I can fit through any door, unlike _someone_ here!"

The group laughed, but Shifu could not find humour in him.

"Oh for goodness' sake Shifu, lighten up." Fenghuang sounded exasperated. "You're bringing the mood down."

"He's probably still hurting from that awesome trunk-punch I delivered. Seriously, did any of you see it?" Elephant crowed, clearly proud of himself.

Normally Shifu had no problem engaging with the others, even if he did like to keep his distance sometimes. But this week had been bad, and it looked like it was only going to get worse.

* * *

Oogway gave a sigh of discontent as he watched the empress and her guard take to their rooms for the night. The empress may say that she is at the Palace to watch Kung Fu, and she may even believe it herself, but he could feel that a much more unpleasant fate was about to unravel, one that was going to envenom all at the Jade Palace. _Not every destiny is a benevolent one_ , and he knew he could do nothing to stop it.


	5. Nothing Gold Can Stay

**AN: AKA "the fluff before the storm"**

 **The chapters are getting a bit longer, oops**

* * *

 **Nothing Gold Can Stay**

 _What was that?_

Shifu sat up in bed, ears twitching. Silence. He turned to the window, hoping to gauge the time. The moon gleamed back from its highest point passed the horizon.

 _It's late._

He studied the moon for a moment. It was bright; awfully so. It was almost like the sun, but with more tranquillity, and none of the passion. Just as he was about to settle back down, he heard the noise again. It was the suspicious scuffling of someone who was trying to move as silently as possible, but lacked the care and subtlety to do so.

 _An intruder!_

Shifu leapt to his feet, grabbing his robe. He felt the familiar heat of adrenaline rise in his body, but it was a feeling rooted in anger, not fear. Feet pressed to the floor in anticipation, he felt a tenseness in himself that extended beyond the physical. He found himself almost hoping for a fight, if only for something to provide an outlet for his turmoil and - there was movement again. From the training hall. With all the swiftness and silence of the wind, he bolted from his room and towards the hall, stopping just short of the door. There was no way he was going to be able to move the heavy doors in the silence of the night without alerting the intruder. Time for a dramatic entrance, then. He burst through the hall doors, startling the occupant inside and causing them to stumble and fall.

"Stop, thief, or you'll regr- what are you doing here?!"

There, lying on the ground underneath the inflatable training dummy, was the empress. A moment passed in silence, but it seemed to stretch on for an eternity. Xīyǒu hoped she would just melt away into the floor, away from Shifu's accusatory glare.

"What are you doing here?" He repeated, with less anger in his voice. But she could still hear it there, just below the surface, knowing that he was suppressing it only out of politeness to his empress.

"I, uh... I... Er..." She tripped over her words, lies and fabrications flashing through her mind as she tried to decide which one was the most convincing.

"I'm sleeping here." _Oh, that was terrible._

"In the training hall?" Shifu arched a brow.

"Yes."

"Under the dummy?"

"... Yes."

"Should I be concerned that the empress has no trouble lying to me?" Shifu chuckled. He largely intended the comment as a joke in the face of her obviously-fake story, but his laughter was cut short when he saw her dejected expression. His words must have cut deeper than he meant.

"I mean... Let me help you up," pushing the dummy off, he helped her to her feet. She was awfully light, even given her size. He watched with scepticism as she dusted herself down. "... So, what _are_ you doing here?"

With a sigh, Xīyǒu turned and looked at him. In her eyes he saw the pleading look of someone who was about to reveal a dark secret, and desperately wanted not to.

"I was... Practising... Um, you know... Kung Fu..?" She muttered.

 _That was it?_ Shifu almost laughed at the absurdity of it, of how she put on a façade over such a trivial thing.

"Don't... Don't think poorly of me," she continued, as if reading his mind, "I didn't mean to lie. I just, you don't understand, it's... Embarrassing for someone of my prestige to be seen... Losing to a training dummy." Her ears flattened and she looked mildly annoyed that she even had to speak those last words.

"I see." Shifu responded, emotionless, "So, first you lie to me, and then you tell me you don't want to, hm, sink to my level? Is that right?" He couldn't help but let a shameless smirk slip out. He wasn't truly that offended, but he couldn't deny that pretending to be was fun.

"Oh goodness, no! I didn't mean that at all!" The empress' eyes widened as she grew flustered. "What I meant was that it's alright for you to mess up because you're so good at Kung Fu already, and, and this is what you do and..." Her words tumbled out her mouth, unsure which train of thought to follow. Shifu cut her off before this became too painful to continue listening to. He felt a pang of sympathy for her; she had a hidden vulnerability to self-doubt that reminded him of someone.

"It was a joke."

"... Oh." She brushed her hands over her tufted cheeks and cleared her throat, as if to regain composure. In an act of mercy, Shifu diverted the conversation elsewhere.

"I don't know what you were thinking though. You can't just pick up Kung Fu on your own, with just a training dummy. You need a Master, or at the very least, someone who is willing to teach you. I am not either of those, but I have some tips." He approached the feline and offered his hand out to her, "May I, Empress Xīyǒu?" She was unsure what he exactly he meant, but was compliant all the same.

"You may... But please, like I said, call me Xi. Um, and you are...?"

It dawned on Shifu that he had not yet properly introduced himself.

"Shifu." He replied, as he busied himself circling her. To her surprise, he grabbed her arms and moved them, pushing and prodding her body as if he were moulding clay until she was in, what could only be described as, a fighting stance.

"Well, _Xi_ ," he cocked an eyebrow at her, with emphasis on her more casual name, "form is everything. The best place to begin is with proper posture. Now, try strike the dummy with your palm." Xi complied and, lunging forwards, she struck the dummy and it bounced satisfyingly. Her face, for the first time Shifu noticed, lit up.

"Not bad, but this time try not to move your whole body..."

* * *

And so the minutes bled into hours, until Xi became tired of picking herself off the floor again and again. Shifu had been very patient with her, she felt, given her many mistakes. The pair were now sitting outside the training hall, watching the moon begin its descent below the horizon. The crisp air was refreshing on her fur, which was damp from sweat.

"I learned a lot, you know," she said, breaking the silence, "you're a good teacher."

Shifu glanced at her before looking away again.

"No, I'm not. I'm just a student. Master Oogway is a good teacher."

Xi shrugged, "Maybe one day, then." Silence took over again. Shifu quite liked it like this. But it seemed _Xi_ had a lot to say.

"I'd love to learn more, you know, but after dark. I don't really fancy the idea of training with you guys... Too rough."

Shifu scoffed, "You mean too embarrassing for you. It doesn't have to be, though. You could make up for your lack of strength by striking with your magic as well as your fists. I don't think anyone would dare mock you for failing after seeing your magical... talent." He spoke as if he were completely distanced from the situation, both physically and emotionally. Xi was far less controlled, suddenly displaying an uncharacteristic ego he had not seen in the hall.

"Hah! Yeah, right, as if I'm going to firstly wreck your training hall by using my magic indoors, and secondly, going to upstage everyone with such an unfair advantage!" Catching herself, she toned her voice back down, "What I mean to say is, I have always relied on my magic. I would like to learn a more honest way of fighting."

For the first time that night, Shifu looked at her. As in, really looked at her. She clearly had no raw talent in Kung Fu, but she was eager to learn and that, at least, was admirable. Especially for someone who had no need for such a skill. He couldn't help but admit to a guilty pleasure, one of being the personal Kung Fu Master of the empress, and the pride it would bring. But he couldn't. To his surprise, and disgust, he felt his heart sink a little at the realisation. He turned back to the sky, seeing the first light of daybreak displace the night.

"I can't teach you. Perhaps you should invest in a personal mentor." He let his gaze wander back to her, but when he saw her fallen expression, he started spouting words he didn't know where there, "I can still help you though, a little. Perhaps next evening? I can show you some basic kicks."

"I'd like that", came the warm reply.

 _Maybe this week won't be so bad after all_ , thought Shifu.

In the distance, the two heard Rooster crowing for the morning. Xi turned to Shifu and laughed, as if inviting him to join in on a joke, but Shifu wasn't sure what was so funny.

"We should head back now," he said, standing, "we don't want to make them suspicious." Although Xi remained quiet, she appreciated his consideration of her fear of being found out.

* * *

The next couple of nights ended with Shifu flopping exhaustedly into bed. He'd spend the whole day training, perfecting his performance, and then at night he would meet with Xi at the hall and teach her some basic Kung Fu. He had several problems with all of this, the most important of which was his performance. He was dissatisfied with it, there was something missing... But he could not figure out what. Secondly, Xi had a contagious enthusiasm that bled into everything she did, and it was making him... Nervous, for lack of a better word. Every night when he arrived at the hall, she was as excited as if the Qilin itself had come to visit her, and with even more appreciation. He admittedly enjoyed her company, and he was sure the feeling was mutual. Even the rest of the Furious Five had noticed how the mood lifted when Xi watched them train, or joined them for dinner, and he was getting fed up with their prodding and teasing. Earlier that night, they had suggested that he was getting friendly with Xi in an attempt to "win the contest".

Shifu rubbed his eyes as he lay on his bed. This cocktail of emotions was nauseating to say the least, and he just wanted it to be over. He almost wished Xi would just leave and go back to her palace, but he couldn't bring himself to finalise the thought. He was jarred from his introspection by a knock on his door. Opening it, he almost jumped back in shock.

"Xi?!"

"Hey."

"What are you - I mean, it's late."

"I know, that's why I'm here. You were meant to meet me in the hall, remember? I thought I'd come to check on you, maybe you forgot or something." Her tone, edged with disappointment, was all but accusatory.

Shifu felt guilt wash over his conscience. He didn't realise it was that late already.

"Yes, I... Forgot. I've had a lot on my mind and I didn't realise the time... I'm sorry."

Xi's expression softened. She found Shifu had the incredible ability to say something with the tone of complete indifference, yet with all the sincerity. Xi gave a small, but defeated, sigh. She didn't have the heart to maintain the face of self-righteousness. She gave him a small smile.

"It's alright. You must be exhausted. I don't want it to begin affecting your training. So maybe we can stop or postpone our meet-ups... Preferably just postpone...?" She offered, her voice unsteady with apprehensive hopefulness.

Shifu studied her. He wasn't sure what made him say the next words, but he did.

"Would you like to come in?"

Xi eyed him suspiciously. There was an almost imperceptible flick of her eyes towards the exit, as if she may flee at any second. Shifu hoped she would not. Just before the silence stretched long enough to become awkward, she stepped into his room. From across the hall, she could've sworn she'd heard another door creak open.

The first thing she noticed was how bare it was. Aside from the bed, a window and some kind of hanging scroll depicting the sun, and the incense burner beneath it, it was empty. Feeling a little awkward, she approached the scroll as if reading it, but her mind was not processing any of the script. It was all too focused on the red panda who had invited her in. Her heart raced and she felt overcome with nervousness. Before she could even consider why he called her in, she was already conjuring up fantasies; fantasies that were not unfamiliar to her. _He must want to talk about something very important... Maybe he'll..._

"I think, at least for now, we should stop our nightly training sessions."

And with those words, her hopes were dashed.

"O-of course..."

 _Of course this is what he wanted to talk about._ She maintained a steady gaze on the scroll, unmoving. Shifu sighed, his own stare rooted squarely on the floor. He did not want to say the words that came next, but he had to, for both their integrity's sake.

"The others are becoming suspicious. They think I am trying to get close to you so that it will make you biased, and so you'll choose me as the winner. But I want you to trust me, that that was not the case." He waited for her response. None came. Xi was miles away, lost in her own thoughts. Oh, but she had heard him alright. Had it been anybody else, she would have accused them of manipulation. But from Shifu, she had come to trust in nothing but the bluntest of honesty. Disgusting emotions accumulated at the forefront of her mind, manifesting themselves as thoughts of reprehensible actions. Not against Shifu, of course, but against the four who threatened her happiness with him.

 _Wait_ , she thought. _What happiness with Shifu? We have nothing between us_. Logic cleared the fog in her mind, leaving behind only a feeling of shock and horror that she would even consider such actions against four innocents, in the name of protecting something she didn't have. She felt ashamed, and refused to open her mouth in fear of what words might fall out.

Shifu, meanwhile, wanted to tear down that wretched scroll, if only to force her to face him. It was becoming increasingly difficult for him to separate his emotions from the situation.

"I want you to know that I val... It is important to me. Our relationship." No sooner had the words left his mouth that he had realised the implication of them. Xi's head snapped round, she looked incredulous.

 _But not upset._

"As friends! Our friendship." _Nice save_ ; a shared thought.

Xi had never seen Shifu look so flustered. She'd never seen him look flustered at all, actually. It was endearing. The pair looked at each other and laughed nervously. The whole mood in the room seemed to lift, and for the first time that night, neither felt awkward. Shifu smiled, having finally captured her attention.

"I hope you understand."

"Of course. Don't worry about it. I'm sure we can meet up more once this whole thing is over." She smiled in return, "besides, I'm sure I can find something just as fun to do with this new extra time."

"Okay, _now_ I'm insulted. What could be as fun as having me watch you fail at Kung Fu?" Shifu grinned, and the two shared a more light-hearted laugh. Still chuckling, Xi walked over to the window.

"You're right, it's a tough one to beat." Looking out the window, she saw the stillness of the night. The lack of moon, hidden by clouds, made it impossible to tell the time. Shifu certainly had a room with a view, though. It overlooked some kind of garden, and the flowers were in full bloom.

"Oh!" Her sudden exclamation made Shifu jump.

"What is it?" He asked, joining her at the window.

"You have red hibiscus flowers here. They're my favourite. They're so beautiful, but also really delicate. You've got to be really careful when growing them."

Shifu looked at the flowers. Sure, they were pretty, but he wasn't well-versed in botany. But somewhere, in his mind, the last piece fell into place. _Beautiful and delicate._ He knew exactly what he was going to do for his performance.

* * *

Rooster sat in his room, trying to placate a furious Fenghuang. It was late, and he just wanted to sleep.

"Can you believe it?! That shameless little panda is trying to woo the empress, so she'll choose him! And the empress must be completely air-headed, because she's _falling for it!_ " Fenghuang paced angrily around the room, struggling to keep her voice down.

"I don't think it's any of our business, really," Rooster yawned his reply.

"It IS our business! I've trained so hard for years, we've all trained hard for years! So who does he think he is, trying to bamboozle his way in?"

"Shifu's not like that. C'mon Fenghuang, you know that." Rooster fought the irritation rising in his own voice. Fenghuang paused for a moment, mulling it over. She seemed to reach a conclusion.

"You're right. _Shifu's_ not like that, but we don't know that the empress isn't. Okay, maybe Shifu's innocent. But what about Xi, huh? What if she chooses Shifu just because they're best friends forever?" Fenghuang spat those last words, her temper returning. Rooster rubbed his temple. Clearly whatever he said, it wasn't going to make a difference.

"Let's just see what happens. We've still got a couple of days left anyway, no point jumping to conclusions before then. Now, can I _please_ have my room back." Rooster dropped all pretences now, and just sounded fed up. He'd been polite long enough. Fenghuang ruffled her feathers.

"It's like talking to a brick wall. Alright, we'll see what happens. But don't say I didn't warn you." And with that, she flew from his room.


	6. Once in a Golden Hour

**Once in a Golden Hour**

The remaining days passed rather peacefully, Xi was relieved to note. She had spent her time at the training hall, watching the Furious Five practice. But she had eyes for only one in particular. Every so often, she would make a comment or change her position, if only to steal a second's more of his attention. Her guard, Jian, stood by her side attentively.

 _Everyone's here_ , she thought to herself, _except... Oogway._ Something subconscious caused her brow to furrow. She had seen very little of him since she had arrived, and what meetings they did have had been very brief, as if he was entertaining her purely out of civility. _Is he avoiding me?_

"Somebody's got more than Kung Fu on their mind, huh?"

Xi was pulled back down to earth.

"Excuse me?" she replied, the curiosity of a question replaced with disdain. She did not turn to look at him, keeping her gaze steeled forwards. Jian, intentionally or unintentionally ignoring the social cues, nudged her playfully.

"It's the talk of the tow- er, talk of the palace. You and the little raccoon guy."

"Raccoon." Xi's tone was flat. She did not want to be in this conversation right now, "you mean Shifu."

"Yeah, him. I hear you two have been spending some real quality time together. Might we be expecting a prince-consort soon?" Jian laughed and gave her a wink, but Xi was away with her thoughts once more.

 _Quality time._ She supposed it could be called that. It seemed like a gross understatement though. The past days had been some of her most enjoyable and for once she had felt able to lower her façade, if ever so slightly. At first Shifu had been hesitant, afraid of creating the exact atmosphere he was trying to prevent amongst his cohorts. But Xi told him that she had offered the same "quality time" to the others - she hadn't of course, but what was a little white lie? - and Shifu had been more than happy to continue.

The two had spent their breaks and evenings sitting and talking, about everything and nothing. They shared tea together, and one evening she had walked with him through the garden, sharing her knowledge about the plants and flowers. It was that night that, however brief, he had held her hand. Truly a momentous occasion!

"... I'll take that as a yes."

Xi had not realised that she had been smiling like a fool this entire time. The meaning of Jian's words finally struck, and she gasped, withdrawing.

"There will be no such thing! I - Shifu and I - Um - We are not that close! Please do not engage in these rumours about me."

Jian's only response was the chuckle of someone who had emerged from a conversation victorious, but did not wish to gloat.

* * *

 _She's looking my way again._

Shifu could tell because, since she had joined them at the table for dinner, his attention had been no where else. He could tell that he, too, had her undivided attention, by the way she expertly avoided meeting his gaze. Neither of them noticed the seething glares being bulldozed their way by Fenghuang.

"It's so nice of the empress to join us _lowly peasants_ for dinner. And every night, too." Fenghuang spoke with an edge to her voice, betraying her barely-controlled anger. For the first time that night, Shifu and Xi's eyes met, sharing an uneasy glance. Elephant, Rooster and Snow Leopard all shared a similar look; they were also all to aware of the gossip. Fenghuang continued, unhindered, "Why, it's almost as if she has some kind of... Ulterior motive. Oh! Forgive my words..." But there was no remorse in her tone.

"What are you implying?" Xi was far better at concealing her rising anger; she had played this game before.

"I'm not implying anything. I'm just saying it's nice." The owl glared at Shifu before continuing, " _so_ nice. Isn't that right, Shifu?"

As bewildered as he was, Shifu did not rise to the bait.

"Yes, we are all very honoured." This incited a small laugh from Xi, making his cheeks flush. Fenghuang scowled. But for all her rage, she kept her beak shut. She didn't want to sour herself to the empress just yet, not when there was still a chance, however slim. As she stood, she pressed her wings down on the table, as if channeling all her anger into it.

"... Well, we better get ourselves some rest. It's the big day tomorrow. Wanna be top of my game."

* * *

Xi stood outside Shifu's door.

"Xi, I really should be getting some sleep now. I don't want to be too tired tomorrow."

"I know, I know. I just wanted to say, good luck." She looked around nervously before, quick as lightning, she planted a kiss on his cheek and departed. Suddenly Shifu didn't feel like sleeping that much any more. He turned to his windowsill, where a red flower sat in a vase, and smiled.

* * *

 _The big day._ Shifu had thought that was a weird expression. It wasn't really that big of a deal; it's not like they'd be banished from the Jade Palace if the Xi didn't choose them. Life would continue as normal, albeit hopes of ever entering the imperial palace dashed. But it was important for a very different reason. Grabbing the hibiscus, he left for the training hall.

Xi watched performance after performance, each one better than the last. Oogway stood beside her silently, watching his students with a face of stone. Xi found it odd that he wasn't smiling; she had thought him the cheerful type, especially with his students displaying the best of their skills. Regardless, she watched on. She was no master of Kung Fu, but she could see obvious faults clearly enough. Elephant had gone first. He was incredibly powerful, but reckless with his strength, as she had seen when he shattered a piece of training equipment and nearly showered her in splinters of wood. Rooster, while agile and graceful, seemed to lack a lot of "pizazz", as Jian called it. Snow Leopard had been the most impressive so far; limber, powerful, but also controlled and exciting to watch. Xi gasped and burst into applause as Fenghuang finished off her demonstration. The owl had put on a dazzling display where she juggled what appeared to be a spear through a field of fire, before using the spear to set several rings hanging from the ceiling ablaze and performing a spectacular acrobatic show without so much as singing a feather. Breathless, she smiled and bowed to the empress, earnestly pleased with the reaction she incited. On her way to the sidelines, she extinguished the fires with a gust from her wings. Jian stepped forward to announce the final competitor.

"And for the final performance: Master Shifu!"

Shifu took a deep breath. Oogway was there, Xi was there, all his fellow students were there; it was almost too much. He clutched the red flower he was holding to his chest. He could feel the familiar heat of anticipation rising. From across the hall, at the other end, Xi watched intently. She knew that, with Shifu's speed, it would be a blink-and-you-miss-it kind of event. And how right she was. In under a minute he had already cleared the fiery platform, his keen hearing and lightning reflexes giving him the advantage even over the violent bursts of flame. He dodged and darted so expertly, so precisely, that it were as if he wielded the very fire. Within seconds he had reached the wooden dummies - the very same as the one Elephant destroyed. Leaping from the platform, he chose a different route, using the wooden limbs as platforms to fight. He seemed preoccupied with keeping something - something small and weightless, Xi noticed - aloft in the air. He kept batting it up and away, so that it may not touch the floor, and that he may use all of his limbs to strike the dummies. With pinpoint kicks and punches as swift and seamless as a dancer lost to a rhythm, he splintered them all one by one. Goodness knows he had enough strength to break them as Elephant did, but he displayed flawless control over his own might. With a double twist jump he snatched his floating item and used the remnants of a dummy to launch himself higher, towards the hoops. Thrusting the article into the air once more, he grabbed the edge of a hoop and, uninterrupted, flipped through it, using his momentum to brush the fluttery object through the air with him as he cleared each hoop. On the last one, he pushed all his weight against the hoop so he could perform one last diving jump, maneuvering himself through the air so that he could catch his possession and land on his feet, right in front of the empress.

Xi's initial reaction was boisterous applause, much like she did for Fenghuang, until her mind finally registered just what the item in his outstretched hand was.

 _A red hibiscus._

Shifu looked at her and Xi could see, in his eyes, so many emotions reflecting back at her. Admiration, affection, and the desire to make someone - anyone - proud. But above all, she could see an almost child-like hope, the kind of hope one experiences when one bears their soul open, to be accepted or excluded. Shifu had never been particularly verbose, especially when it came to thoughts and emotions, but he needn't be. His youth and innocence made it incredibly easy to read him like a book. He often betrayed himself to feelings he would never dare speak of: fear, self-doubt, hope... _Tenderness_? She admired, and was envious of, how honest he was, whether it was intentional or not.

But she did not have time to dwell. She had made her choice. Overcome with herself, she embraced Shifu with such force that he was knocked backwards a little. It took her only a second, though, to realise it was improper. But it was a second too long. From the sidelines, Fenghuang ground her beak in anger. Regaining her composure, Xi cleared her throat, accepting the flower Shifu offered. Master Oogway took the opportunity to summon his students to the entrance. Xi was trying to assume his expression, but she couldn't work it out. He seemed happy... But it were as if there was an underlying sadness, too.

 _Makes sense_ , she reasoned. _After all, only one of his students is going to be chosen. There is going to be disappointment._

Jian, as always, provided an easy distraction.

"Have you come to a decision?"

Xi cleared her throat once more, "Yes, I have." Facing the Furious Five, she put on her best, most 'important-royalty-sounding' voice, "The five students of Master Oogway, I have watched you all perform spectacularly today. Each one of you has shown me incredible skill and talent in Kung Fu, and no doubt all of you deserve to join the Imperial Palace. But I cannot deprive the Jade Palace, and the Valley, of all of you, which is why today I must choose just one." Barely able to contain her grin, she continued, "The one I have chosen has today demonstrated not only strength, but control, care and humility." She turned to the red panda.

"Master Shifu."

It was at that instant that the atmosphere changed. To the untrained eye, it was purely emotional. The excitement and elated disbelief was contained purely between Xi and Shifu, whilst around them radiated disappointment, anger and most importantly, confirmation of one's worst suspicions. But to Master Oogway, it was something else entirely. He felt as if the universe had moved, and moved with it a crescendo of uncontainable events.

The remaining four said nothing. They were too professional to let their emotions force them to act now. Instead, they bowed - out of compulsion, not respect - and retired to their barracks. Not a word had been said, not that Xi had noticed. But Jian had, and he shuffled on his hooves nervously.

"W-would you like to return to the palace now? The Imperial Palace, I mean."

Xi shook her head.

"Not now; not so soon. There's no rush, is there? Let's stay here for a little while longer," she turned to Oogway, twirling the flower between her fingers, "if that's no trouble?"

Oogway looked to her, then to Shifu, then back to her. He was certainly stuck between a rock and a hard place. He knew how important this was to Shifu's happiness. How important _Xi_ had become. He knew Shifu was expectantly waiting for praise, for acknowledgement of his success. But he also knew the threat that loomed over them... And who was he to stop it? Either way, this destiny would run its course. He can't stop it, and he won't. It was not his to control.

"Everyone's welcome at the Jade Palace," he chuckled. Xi beamed.

"Perfect! Don't worry, I won't overstay my welcome. I mean, _we_ won't overstay." With a light laugh, she winked at Shifu. "Well, I'll be back in my room, if anyone needs me." Placing the hibiscus behind her ear, she headed off, casting a beckoning glance back at Shifu. He wanted to follow, truly, but he had something more important on his mind first. Left with just Oogway, he turned to the older tortoise and bowed, pressing his fist against his open palm.

"I hope I have made you proud, Master."

Oogway placed a claw under Shifu's chin, straightening his posture.

"Of course you have, Shifu. Every day, you make me proud. You didn't need to do all this to earn that."

* * *

As she headed towards her room, Xi heard someone calling her name. She turned and saw Snow Leopard, sheepishly poking her head out from behind the door to another bedroom.

"Empress... Xi... May we please have word?" She spoke softly as she beckoned her over with a paw. Xi was hesitant, but reluctantly agreed.

"... Okay..." She approached the bedroom and Snow Leopard stepped back, so that Xi could enter. She saw that the remaining four students were there.

"Oh." Xi quickly guessed what this was about, and adopted her usual royal manner, "Look, I apologise about -" she was cut off quick by a furious Fenghuang.

"We don't want an apology, we want to know what's really going on."

"What?" Came Xi's bewildered response.

"I didn't want to think Fenghuang was right, but... You really did just choose Shifu for another reason, didn't you?" Rooster sounded all but angry, rubbing his wings together. Xi wanted to roll her eyes, but controlled herself. Instead she made her disdain apparent in her voice.

"I chose Shifu because -" she gave a sigh of exasperation, "do you know what this flower is? A hibiscus. So fragile, a petal could fall off if you looked at it funny. But Shifu managed to perform an entire Kung Fu sequence without it getting so much as a scratch. Do you even understand what kind of control and... And... Consideration that takes? None of you showed even a fraction of Shifu's talent today, and I doubt you ever will."

"You don't have to be quite so harsh." Elephant said, arching a brow. Xi gasped and covered her mouth with a paw, hoping to draw her words back in; she hadn't noticed her anger sneak up on her. It was an anger pointed inwards; _she_ had nurtured the rumours by refusing to give up her time with Shifu, _she_ had let her emotions cloud her judgement... _She_ had brought this upon herself.

"I, er, I'm sorry, I exaggerated. I... I'm sorry," she stuttered. But the damage was done, and enough was enough for Fenghuang.

"You're not sorry! You're only sorry that we caught on. What, you thought we were stupid? That we wouldn't notice? Well, just you wait until word gets out about this. That everyone's perfect empress is just a deceiving liar, who chooses her higher ups out of favouritism. Have you been this corrupt with the whole council? The guards, the army? Is it all just one big conspiracy to keep yourself in power, or just one big playtime with your friends?" Fenghuang got dangerously close; Xi honestly thought she was going to get slapped. But her own anger fuelled her now. The threat - however indirectly - was enough to bring all those nasty emotions back to boiling point.

 _No._

 _It is not my fault._

 _It is theirs._

 _If they had just left it, let me be happy... Let Shifu be happy..._

Her thoughts went back to him, how crushed he would be if he believed what Fenghuang was saying. She couldn't bear it. A nausea permeated her being, as if her soul itself was sick. At the back of her mind, something drew back in repulse at her selfishness and self-righteousness, but something else eclipsed it all together; her overwhelming drive to stay where she had been placed. And not just that, but...

 _Shifu_

She thanked every deity that he was not here to see this right now. She did not want to lie in the face of honesty. But she had to protect what was important to her. Frowning, she gently pushed Fenghuang back. Surprisingly, Fenghuang complied.

"No, no 'word will be getting out', as you put it."

"What makes you presume that? Arrogant to say so, if you ask me." Fenghuang growled. Xi folded her arms.

"Even if it were true, and it's not, I assure you..."

 _Half lies and half truths._

"... No one would believe you."

Fenghuang was the only one to remain angry; Rooster, Elephant and Snow Leopard looked hesitantly puzzled. Xi pressed on.

"What do you suppose people will think when they hear that Shifu has come to the Imperial Palace, and his friends have been left behind at the Jade Palace? And what do you suppose they'll think next, when they hear those friends saying how Shifu only made it in because he's close to the empress? Do you think they'll believe you?"

No one spoke. Fenghuang seethed silently. The others looked to each other for answers. Fenghuang was the first to speak up.

"Of course they will. Because it's true."

"It doesn't matter what's true and what's not true, all that matters is what people believe. Do you really think anyone will believe you - beloved as your group is - over their _Empress of China_?" Xi remained composed, but behind her eyes burned a blindingly hot rage. Her confidence in speaking belied her confidence in her words, but thankfully that was all that was needed to chip away at their resolution. She could already see the cracks in the confidence of Rooster, Elephant and Snow Leopard, and she felt a pang of guilt. Those three had really meant no harm, such a shame that they must be caught in the same web. Fenghuang was harder to break, but even she was not impenetrable.

"Well... So what? So what if they don't believe us? At least the truth will be out there." Fenghuang paused, her cracks showing. Xi smirked.

"Will it? Or will all they hear be the jealous bleating of jealous students, who are trying to take down the reputation of someone who achieved what they could not? Much like bandits vandalizing a building, they will not have my reputation tarnished... But yours." Xi waited for a response, but all that welcomed her was a heavy silence. She imagined how much they must hate her right now, but she beat back remorse with acceptance. This is how it was meant to be. This was how it had always been. She had secured her safety, and Shifu's, and that was that. She turned to leave, confident that the four would not utter a word against her. As she stood in the doorway, Fenghuang mumbled something. Loud enough the hear, with an anger so strong it had burnt itself out.

"You... You're a disgrace to China."

Xi bit her tongue. What could she say to something so indisputable? With the slightest movement of her head, she nodded weakly, and left.


	7. A Crown of Light

**A Crown of Light  
**

"You didn't come down for breakfast today." Shifu poked his head around the guest room door. Inside, Xi sat on the bed, looking out of the window. Her fur was unkempt, not yet brushed, and her eyes looked heavy with tiredness.

"I wasn't hungry."

Shifu frowned. Her bedraggled look made it clear something else was going on. Why could she not tell him? Did she not find him trustworthy? Without waiting for permission - he knew he did not need it - he stepped into her room and closed the door. He followed her gaze out of the window. The sun was shining brightly, unimpeded by clouds, but there was nothing out there that was worth such focus. He knew that she looked out purely so that it might appear she was preoccupied.

"You can be honest with me, you know. I'm not here to judge; I'm here to make sure you're alright. And you're clearly not."

Xi turned to him. She actually wasn't lying this time, she really wasn't hungry. A maelstrom of conflicting and confusing emotions had been engulfing her mind, blocking out all but her own thoughts. She rubbed her eyes and the red jewel on her forehead shone; a small comb was levitated over and began brushing her fur back into place. Shifu's eyes widened. He had never seen her use her magic before.

"I am being honest, I'm not hungry. I'm not... Anything. I just want to stay inside today." _I don't want to see them._

For Shifu, everything finally clicked.

"You're unwell!" Shifu rushed over to her, sitting on the edge of the bed, concern etched into his face. Xi turned away. She could not bear to look at him, to see him so concerned for her when not a day ago, she wielded his name like a weapon in her manipulation of his cohorts. Unable to contain her guilt in the form of stillness, she embraced Shifu and buried her face against him, so that she might mask the evidence of her crimes. Shifu, taken aback and not quite sure how to respond, awkwardly patted her head.

"Now, now, don't pass it on to me," he chuckled. Despite herself, Xi chuckled too.

"I'm not sick," came her response.

"Then what's wrong?"

"Don't you have some training to do?" Her voice came muffled as she still hid her face from him.

"Not today. I am taking the day off in, ahem, celebration." He smiled, but it was short-lived. A heavy silence weighed down on them, one imbued with nervous tension. Xi knew what question sat on the tip of Shifu's tongue, but she stayed silent in the hopes of delaying it further. She was not so lucky.

"Xi, be honest with me, was mine really the best performance? It wasn't just, you know... That it was mine?" He had not realised that the two were still so close, and he pushed her back gently so that he could see her face. She looked... Annoyed?

"Oh, so I was supposed to exclude your performance just because you're my friend? That sounds just as bad, if you ask me. I can't help it that the best show happened to also come from the one I like best. That's just... Luck, or something." She sighed. Shifu arched a brow; clearly he had struck a nerve. Xi noted his expression and, before he could become suspicious, layered on the distraction.

"I guess I just have excellent taste," she leaned in closer and rubbed his arm, "don'tcha think?"

Shifu remained unmoved.

"... And that kiss?" he added. Xi recoiled as if she'd been struck; her eyes wide.

"Oh, nothing. Nothing at all. Just for good luck," she tried to maintain her composure, but she spoke too fast, and her face flushed, "why do you bring it up?" In her deflection of the question onto him, she also transferred her embarrassment.

"No, I... No reason, I was just... Um, it wasn't... Entirely unpleasant..." He trailed off, rubbing his hands together nervously. Xi, on the other hand, burst into laughter.

"Oh gosh! Thanks for the compliment, I think I'm swooning!" Reduced to light giggling, she looked to him, expecting to see the same 'I'm-pretending-to-be-slightly-annoyed' look he usually gave when she joked with him. But instead she saw Shifu laughing back with her, though his laughter seemed more rooted in nervousness. The humour wore off, and Xi's sight returned to the window. She felt warm. It was a warmth that spread throughout her entire self, and manifested itself in her smile. Shifu shuffled closer, embracing her in every way but physically, following her gaze out the window once more.

Xi could hardly care about what happened yesterday now. It was irrelevant; but a stepping stone to her happy ever after. Shifu's innocence was protected; he was happy. So was she. _It was worth it_ , she thought, as she drew herself closer to him.

* * *

The next couple of days didn't feel real. They felt dreamy, like a sequence flowing from one scene to the next. During the day, Xi had listened to Shifu play his flute. He had tried to teach her, but she had failed to make any sound that did not sound like a dying bird. That night, they shared dinner as a picnic in the garden. Xi had been very insistent about sitting in the fresh air. She said the dinner hall made her feel unwell. Shifu was more than happy to oblige. The next day, Shifu took her to the scroll room, and the two spent the day telling the other of stories in the history of magic and Kung Fu. Xi often poked fun at Shifu for being "so super serious about Kung Fu" as she put it, but Shifu found that she took magic just as seriously, and it delighted him no end that he could tease her about it. The same evening, the two sat under the lone peach tree. Xi had, again, wanted to spend the evening outside, away from the palace. Shifu, in his innocence, had pinned the reasoning on a very different motive to reality. He rested his head atop of hers as she leaned against his shoulder. The warm night had a very gentle breeze, just enough to move the branches of the tree and carry the faintest scent of peach. It was a beautiful night and no better time, Shifu thought. Xi had decided that tomorrow they would return to the Imperial Palace. _We may not get another night like this for some time_. The thought pushed words into his mouth, and he broke the silence.

"Xi?"

"Hm?" she stirred. For her, the past days had been wonderful. For the first time, she had felt able to enjoy the pure happiness, free of any guilt. She had not so much as cast a thought to any of her misgivings, except for this morning when she had her first run-in with the other students since... That evening. It had been awkward, and she could feel their resentment for her - justified as it was - radiating from them. She did not care for their opinion of her, but rather what it meant. That, at any time, they could divulge the entire thing to Shifu. She had panicked, and announced that she, Shifu and Jian would be departing the next morning. But tonight was too lovely, and she didn't want to ruin it with such thoughts now. In a distraction for herself, she nuzzled against Shifu.

"What is it?"

Shifu felt himself lick his lips. He didn't really know how to do this. All that practicing, wasted.

"I... I'm not really good with these kinds of words. I don't really know how to say this, but..." He moved away a little, so that he could face her properly. She looked at him with those violet eyes, reflecting back at him the faintest of moonlight. He leaned towards her, his heart beating so hard he felt breathless. He could see, from the almost imperceptible way she trembled, that she was feeling the same. She put her hand on his and suddenly her touch, which he had become so comfortable with other the days, was electrifying. Her compliance was her permission, and they both knew it - Shivering with anticipation, he pressed his lips to hers.

And they shared their first kiss.

* * *

 _Knock, knock._

Xi had just finished getting prepared for bed. She was humming to herself a tune she didn't recognise. Knowing all to well who was at the door, she took her time answering it. She fluffed out her fur a little, and neatened her robes. Finally opening the door, her heart sank and she couldn't react fast enough to mask her obvious disappointment. Oogway stood there.

"... Oh. Good evening."

"You don't seem happy to see me."

"I was... Expecting you to be someone else."

Oogway chuckled.

"May I come in?" he said, but what he really meant was _I will come in_.

"Of course..." Xi sighed, light enough that she thought it went unnoticed, and stepped aside. Oogway entered, and immediately turned to her. Xi closed the door, turning around so that she leant against it. There was silence for a few minutes.

"So, you are returning to the Imperial Palace tomorrow?"

"Yes."

"With Shifu?"

"Yes." Xi was fed up. She didn't want this tortoise in her room. Even if it was technically his room. Oogway was quiet again for some time. She wondered if he knew what he was doing at all, or if he was just purposely winding her up. Surely, his students hadn't told him anything... No, she reasoned. She'd have been dismissed from the palace by now if that were the case. Finally, he spoke again. His voice sounded less friendly now, and more displeased. But it was a displeasure wrapped and bound by social etiquette.

"Shifu cares a great deal about you."

"I know." Suddenly, she could not meet his eyes any more. Her gaze drifted down to the floor.

"He trusts you."

"I know." Her voice grew quieter with each answer.

"And you love him too, I'm sure."

"I... Don't know about that..."

Oogway continued to stare her out, unfazed. Her masks did not fool him, even when she herself fell for them. He went quiet again. Her irritation rose to anger, and she just wanted to scream at him to get out. He had no place to meddle in her business. Again, his words filled the room.

"You are going down a dangerous road, my friend..."

 _I'm not your friend_

"... But all your work is not enough. All your efforts will be undone, by your own hand. And your selfishness will only hurt Shifu more."

"Selfish?!" She could not keep that exclamation to herself. She could hardly contain her anger any more; it took all her strength not to yell.

"Who do you think you are?! You come in here, you stick your nose in, you tell me... You accuse me..!"

Oogway chuckled.

"What an extreme reaction, I didn't say anything that bad! I think you understand too well... Or not well enough, maybe. I mean, it must be nice to be in your position. There's not an outcast or runaway in all of China who wouldn't want to be where you are... Perhaps the stars in your eyes have blinded you."

Xi exhaled deeply. Something about Oogway, perhaps his ability to see right through her, made it difficult to retain the calm, controlled composure she exhibited towards the others. Perhaps it was because the power he held over her, the knowledge she knew he had, choked her into submission and desperation more than anyone else. Oh, she was sure he didn't know any specifics. But the old tortoise had an eerie wisdom, and seemed near omniscient.

"You can't talk to me like that. I think you forget, I'm the Empress; I'm _your_ Empress. You think you understand, and you think that gives you the right to scold me like a child, but you're wrong! Get out!" She knew she was treading dangerous waters, that a less benevolent being than Oogway would have sent her out on the streets. But Oogway was too forgiving. He merely looked at her, sorrow in his eyes... And pity. As he left, he muttered one last sentence, not a warning, but a statement of fact.

"A sun always burns itself out." The words hung in the air. Xi pretended not to hear.

* * *

Oogway heard the door close behind him. He had done his best, he had tried to reason with her. But fate could not be reasoned with. With a heavy heart, he headed back to his room. On the way, he stopped outside Shifu's door. It would be so easy, to go in and... No. It was not his destiny to manipulate any further. In a last ditch effort of damage control, he had only made things worse. For now, at least. He shuffled past Shifu's door, into the darkness.

The following morning, Xi had stirred Jian and Shifu extra early. She had no desire to even risk an incredibly awkward and unpleasant 'farewell' with Oogway and the Four. Shifu had been insistent on saying goodbye to Oogway, however, which Xi refused to attend. She waited at the bottom of the steps for him, saying she was checking her packing. At the Jade Palace doors, Shifu bowed to Oogway once more.

"I'm very excited, Master. I'll be sure to come back and visit, and tell you all about it."

"I look forward to it," Oogway smiled. The little red panda was eager, and he was happy for that. He could enjoy this moment at least, if nothing else.

"I promise I'll be back soon," Shifu began his descent down the stairs, looking over his shoulder one last time to smile at Oogway.

As Shifu approached the final steps, he saw Jian and Xi waiting.

"Wow, that was quick," she commented.

"As you already know full well, I'm not much with words," he replied, and the two laughed a little. Shifu had the remarkable ability to make her forget about her previous clashes with the others at the Jade Palace. _Perhaps because it is all for him_ , she thought. She thought a little harder. _Well, mostly for him_... _Fifty-fifty, at least._

It turned out Jian was right - it was much quicker back to the Imperial Palace when they didn't make so many stops. It hadn't been long and they had already made it to the village. Just as Xi opened her mouth to suggest a brunch break, she heard a thunderous gong ring alarmingly close. An unkempt-looking bunny came speeding up to the group, stopping just shy of bowling into them. His right ear looked burnt and he was panting.

"Master Shifu! Empress Xīyǒu! The Valley... It's under attack from bandits!"


	8. The Sun Always Sets

**The Sun Always Sets**

Xi chuckled.

"Well, their timing was great, because we happen to have one of the Furious Five right here!" She patted Shifu's back, but he didn't seem to notice. He simply looked troubled.

"Let's go!" He darted towards the growing commotion outside a store, dragging a reluctant Xi with him.

"No! Wait..!" But her protests went ignored.

"'Ere we are lads, there's enough produce here for us to skew the trade our way come winter!" A weasel, slender but sturdy, called out to his group; a family of very similar-looking weasels. The group cheered and began ransacking the shops, some snatching everything they could carry, others restraining the citizens and shopkeepers.

"Someone alert the Jade Palace!" A bunny cried, before being tackled to the ground and pinned by a weasel.

"No need for that!" The authoritative voice of the empress cut through the air, causing the weasel bandits to look up. Xi stood, striking a pose, with Jian and Shifu beside her. Both looked unimpressed with her theatrics, but poised to fight nonetheless.

"It's the empress!" A small pig chimed, hope in her voice.

"And Master Shifu!" Exclaimed another.

Jian's heart sunk a little. He knew that, as a guard of the empress, he was always going to be in her shadow, but it still stung that he was nameless and shapeless to the citizens. But regardless, he was here to protect.

"What should we do? Retreat?!" One of the bandits asked.

"No!" Came the response, "We don't need to beat 'em, just distract 'em long enough!"

"Right, boss!" The weasels harassing the citizens instead turned their attention to the new intruders, charging at them from different angles to scatter the trio. The citizens fled.

"Xi!" Shifu called to her, "use what I taught you to keep the bandits at bay while I rescue the workers!"

"Wait what - Me?! But I can't... I don't remember...!"

"Then use your magic! Quickly!"

"But- But" Her pleading fell on deaf ears; Shifu had already begun fighting his way to the storefront, his speed and strength were simply unmatchable for the bandits.

Xi panicked, backing herself up against a wall. Her heart was racing and she felt like she was going to faint, but the adrenaline coursing through her would grant her no such luxury. Instead, it coiled around her windpipe, making it difficult to breathe. She saw Jian fighting close by, bravely standing his ground and using his antlers to hurl bandits away. She attempted to inch closer to him, but found herself cornered by several bandits.

"Where do you think you're going, your _highness_?" A weasel smirked, contempt lacing every word, as he brandished a small dagger.

"Help!" She cried out instinctively, all ability to feel shame shrouded by panic. She caught the attention of both Jian and Shifu. Jian attempted to come to her aid, but found himself blocked off by bandits. Shifu looked back; his heart skipped a beat when he saw the gleam of the blade. Looking forwards again, he could see some of the weasels already fleeing with their loot, vanishing over the rooftops. He had to make his decision. With a grunt of annoyance, he rushed back to Xi. He doubted he'd make it.

"Your magic!" He called out, in an attempt to push her into action. Xi grimaced. She raised her paws, and the jewel on her forehead shone. But all that she summoned were sparks; bright bursts and flashes of light. The weasels were stunned but not injured. They snickered as they closed in on her.

"Is that it? Guess you fancy royal-types don't do much fightin', because you're outta practice."

Xi growled and stood her ground, futilely trying again. Her magic sputtered as if failing to start, again producing nothing but shows of light.

 _No!_

Shifu's eyes widened. He jumped into the air and used his momentum to deliver a powerful split kick, knocking back two of the bandits. The others quickly retreated.

"Looks like we got what we need anyway!" One weasel gloated, as his brother on the rooftop gave him a thumbs-up signal, "Thanks for the distraction!" He and his brothers turned tail and fled. Shifu prepared to chase them, but Xi grabbed the back of his robe.

"Don't! They have weapons!" She pleaded. Shifu glared back at her.

"I can easily disarm them! Let go!"

"Not on your own, you're far too outnumbered! Please, I don't want anything to happen... To you..." She tried, one more time. Shifu was fuming. Her intentions were honest enough, but he could not see it as anything but selfish. She was prepared to let the bandits get away with the citizens' food stock? And for what? One person? But he realised what emotion gave rise to that intention, and his expression softened slightly, resigning himself. Oh, but he was still mad alright.

"And what happened back there?! What were you doing?!" Shifu glowered at her. He felt betrayed, in an unusual way. Jian joined the arguing pair, looking confused.

"Yeah, I've never seen anything... _Quite_ like it." He sounded unsure.

"I, uh, I -" Xi stammered, not sure how to fabricate her way out of this one.

"You had the magic to fight those bandits, but you did nothing! Why? You let down the citizens, _your_ citizens - and myself! - when we needed you most!" The red panda trembled, anger threatening to boil over completely. If there was one thing that angered him most, it was failure of justice, and for no reason to boot. Xi looked down, scared to meet his eyes. His last words had cracked like a whip in her mind. She fumbled nervously, knowing he wanted an answer soon, but not knowing what to say. She found the courage, and audacity, to meet his gaze. He looked at her with all the righteous anger of someone betrayed but also, as it hurt her to note, all the pain of the betrayal coming from someone dear. It was too much for her to bear. Just as she had steadfastly broken the Furious Five, she, too, had her own cracks. And with this last act, of lying to the face of honesty, the wall came crashing down.

"Because I have nothing, okay!" Her voice cracked and tears threatened to break, but she was able to spare herself one last act of embarrassment.

"What do you - ?" Shifu looked confused.

"I don't have any magic!"

Shifu looked like the perfect storm of anger and confusion, as if he wanted to understand, but did not have the patience. Jian merely blinked, stupefied.

"But I've seen you! You've used it to pick things up!" Shifu growled.

"That's all it is... Levitation and some flashy lights. A far cry from... Sun Goddess..." She trailed off, unable and unwilling to keep her head raised.

"But... The tales, of magic and- and honour..." Jian forced his words out; he was perhaps the most shocked of them all. He had spend a large part of his life close to the empress, and had devoted his entire purpose to this charade.

"Stories, all of them," Xi muttered, waving her hand, "Not stories of my creation, mind you. But say you came to this beautiful new place, a place where everyone thinks you're incredible, that you're capable of incredible things... A place where you're admired and... Loved... And woven into their mythology. Would you not gladly accept their adoration too?" Her voice was weak. This is not what she had wanted.

"No!" Shifu rebuffed immediately. Xi winced, but he continued, "where is the honour in that? A title you have not earned and a crown you do not deserve!"

"You don't understand, it was not malicious -"

"Alright, alright!" Jian intercepted, "let's take this back to the palace. We don't need to be shouting about it here." He glanced around. The place seemed deserted, but still...

The walk back to the Imperial Palace was a quiet, awkward one. No one spoke, and no one looked at another.

* * *

A group of guards had gathered at the entrance, ready to congratulate and greet the Kung Fu master who had passed selection. Instead, they were met by a frazzled-looking empress, her exhausted and befuddled captain, and a largely expressionless Shifu.

"Uh, is everything alright?" One of the guards offered.

"We need to rest. Just take me to my guest room." Shifu was abrupt; each cold word drove a dagger further into Xi's conscience. As one of the guards led him off he turned back, and for the first time since the argument, looked at Xi with something other than anger: Understanding.

"The empress and I will be speaking later tonight." His last words before he was taken upstairs.

"And the empress and _I_ will be speaking right now. So, if you could give us some privacy..." Jian placed a hoof on Xi's shoulder and pushed her into the throne room, devoid of any other company. Jian looked at her. She knew he wanted an explanation, an answer, but she had none for him. Shifu's last words, that last look, had instilled in her a renewed hope. It was not over yet; she still had her chance at her happy ending. And what happy ending wasn't worth fighting for? She looked around the room. The spacious room seemed to gleam so bright it hurt her eyes. The jade pillars, lovingly engraved with her likeness, made her want to smash them.

 _How did I put up with this for so long? This is happiness, is it not?_

"Alright, since you're not going to talk, I guess I will." Her attention was brought back to her unpleasant reality by Jian's voice. Now that it was just her and Jian, she was able to see the true extent of his anger. The captain, so good at masking himself in front of others, was now glaring her down with the ferocity of a predator with cornered prey.

"I hope you don't think that this is all going to blow over. First chance I get, I'm letting everyone know." Jian spoke with such authority in his voice; Xi could almost believe that he was the emperor and she was the captain.

"Oh my, where is your loyalty to your empress?" Xi spoke, sounding a lot more sarcastic than she intended.

"Don't pull that with me. You're not my empress, you fraudster. Don't think I'm going to help you keep this secret, either. First chance I get, you're going down." Jian shot back. Xi frowned. There it was, that all-too-familiar feeling of anger and fear.

 _Not you too..._

What was she supposed to do? Let Jian talk and destroy everything she worked to build? She wasn't asking for much, just her own chance to be happy. No body was getting hurt unless they tried to take that from her. It was their own fault.

 _Right?_

Now more than ever she knew that she was simply throwing excuses to defend her own selfishness, but the dissonance was a powerful thing. A familiar feeling reared its head. The memory of that night with Oogway's students ripped through her consciousness.

"You think it would be only me going down?" Came her response, at last.

"What?" Jian had heard, he was only giving her the chance to change her answer.

"Tell me Jian, you have a family, don't you?"

"Err... Yes." Jian was thrown off by her question, and he eyed her suspiciously, "a wife... Two kids, one more on the way."

"And what do you suppose will happen when it's discovered that the captain of the guard - their husband and father - had been assisting a fraudster all this time?"

"Nice try, but my family would never turn against me." Jian scoffed.

"I wasn't talking about _their_ reaction. So, you go and tell everyone the truth about me. Everyone hates me, runs me out of town, whatever, but they won't stop there. Trust me, I know villagers, and if there's one thing they love, it's a higher-up to hate. Once they're done with me, who else will their sights set on but my most favourite and closest worker? All it takes is a little rumour." Xi ran a hand over an engraving on a pillar. It was a mindless action.

"As if I care what they say about me." Jian was resolute, clearly.

"Well, I guess you're a stronger person than I. And even, your family."

"Stop dragging them into this."

"I don't need to. When rumour gets out - and it will - that you were in on it the whole time, all eyes will be on your family whether you like it or not. Perhaps you are okay with becoming an outcast, with being forced to resign and the subject of conspiracies and mud-slinging, but I doubt they will share your fortitude." She paused, hoping her words were sinking in. Jian stood with his head downcast and it made it difficult to tell, so she pressed on.

"I know you value your integrity as a guard, but don't forget your integrity as a husband and a father. I don't know about you, but the latter would be more important to me." This time, Xi let the silence sit. With a sigh, Jian eventually gave his answer.

"...So, business as usual...?"

Xi tried to smile, but she could not find any emotion capable of producing one. Instead, she felt a pang of sympathy.

"I'm sorry Jian, but sometimes we have to believe in a lie to protect what we love. Maybe you'll understand me better now. Nobody will be hurt, so long as we carry this burden together."

Jian nodded slowly, "business as usual."

* * *

Despite herself, Xi felt oddly accomplished as she entered the main entrance hall. _Now, just to ensure one more silence._ She looked up the staircase to where Shifu had been escorted.


	9. Midnight Strikes

**Midnight Strikes**

Shifu glowered at the remorseful figure in the doorway in front of him. Contempt and irritation written into his face as if he had been rehearsing for this moment. But Xi was no stranger to social masks, and she could see Shifu's for what it was: a mask to suppress disbelief and hurt. Without saying a word, he stepped back and allowed Xi to enter the guest room. She, too, said no word as she stepped in. All the confidence and self-assuredness that came so naturally when _negotiating_ with Jian had vaporised, leaving her only with that sickly feeling of nervousness. Here she was, trembling with anxiety, while Shifu stared her down with the iron composure of the resolute. Unbeknownst to her that he, too, was struggling to keep the lid on the boiling emotions. The two stood in silence for some time, before the more courageous one spoke first.

"I don't even know where to begin." Shifu's voice cut through the air. Xi's words felt stuck in her throat. When she finally summoned the strength to speak, she could offer only two words:

"I'm sorry."

And with these two words, she seemed to have lifted the lid on the boiling pot. Anger - or was it betrayal? - flashed in Shifu's eyes.

"Sorry for what? That you deceived everyone for years? That you- that you never did anything but put yourself first? Or are you just sorry you got caught... You can't just give us hope like that and..." He faltered. His mask dropped. The grimace on his face was born from the pain of an innocent; of one who could not understand why they were being punished.

"What else was a lie?!" He shouted, all composure lost now. Xi knew the answer he feared, but that much, she knew, was not a lie. She could not stand the thought of losing him, or her dream. But nor did she have the emotional fortitude to attempt to manipulate him as she did the others. No, maybe the best thing she could do was be honest. Maybe then he would forgive her, and maybe then she wouldn't have to lose anything. She let out a heavy sigh.

"Please, let me explain first... Please"

Shifu made no sound nor movement. She took that as his permission to continue.

"Shifu, I'm sure you understand just what it is that I am-"

"A huli jing." He interrupted.

"-Right, yes. A-and as you can imagine, spirits like myself are not welcome in many places, our reputation is..." She trailed off, before mustering the courage to continue, "But one day, I met some travelers. I showed off some simple magic tricks, and next thing I know they take me to their city. I realised I only had to show a little magic to get everyone excited. They loved it. They loved me. Suddenly there's stories about me, tales that grow taller each time they're repeated. How was I supposed to know that the travelers I met were actually members of the council; members who wanted to fluff up their egos with me as a their stepladder? It all happened so quickly... Suddenly, the most prestigious title of power, suddenly a palace of my very own... Don't look at me like that! You don't understand what it's like, to be written off as the bad guy, and to always dream of what you know you cannot have... Your happy ending... Of someone, anyone, to give you their love and acceptance... To tell you you're a good person..." Her voice faded again, cracking under the weight of her emotions. She rubbed her eyes - she did not realise there were tears there - and let the silence resume. Shifu's anger had dissolved, leaving him at the mercy of the thoughts and memories that flooded his mind. All those years he trained with the dream of becoming the Dragon Warrior; The day he realised that dream would never come true; The day that Oogway declared Fenghuang as the most powerful of the Furious Five, while he sat on the sidelines; And how he wanted, more than anything in this world, to make Oogway proud.

"I understand more than you think." He admitted, looking away.

"Then you'll understand what drives someone to cling to a dream with all their strength, especially when it is given at the cost of nothing..." She gritted her teeth. This was not how it was meant to be.

"Maybe it cost you nothing then, but it's costing you everything now. Once the public find out, your reputation will be ruined."

"Shifu! You don't mean that you-"

"-Yes."

"You... You're going to let me fall..?"

Shifu painfully closed his eyes, "I must."

"B-but, I thought you understood... I thought... I thought you l-"

"Don't say it!" He shouted reflexively, shocking both himself and Xi. But he knew, they both knew, that he didn't want her to say it not because it was a lie, but because it was true. Breathing deeply, he backed away from her.

"When I became a master of Kung Fu, it meant that it came before all other bonds... It also meant that, no matter what, I must uphold integrity and honour... Believe me when I say I'd give anything to avoid making this choice."

With her head downcast, Xi's expression was unreadable to Shifu. She was lost in her own thoughts, Shifu's words ringing in her ears and blocking out all else. She thought of how, in the name of honour and integrity, Jian bended to her like grass in the wind. But not Shifu. He was strong and steadfast, with a will as immovable as a mountain. _This is what it takes_ , she thought, _to fight for what you love._ Taking her prolonged silence as resignation, Shifu turned to leave, ears flattened.

"Wait!"

Shifu felt his sleeve tug. Against his wishes, relief washed over him; a new sense of hope. His ears twitched upright, but he refused to turn around.

"What if I... What if I made the choice that you cannot? I could step down from the throne, no one needs to know why... I'll lose my prestige, but you won't have to lose anything... And I'll still have what's most important." She managed a weak smile. Shifu turned around now, incredulous. He studied her entirely; her body language, her eyes, looking for some hint of deceit, but he found none.

"You could... Do that?" He still sounded suspicious. Xi softened her grip so that she was merely holding his arm, rather than pulling him in.

"It won't be easy, I love my title, but... It doesn't mean as much to me as Kung Fu does to you. And I know which one I'd rather have more," she nuzzled against his cheek, pausing for a few seconds as if giving him the chance to swat her away. He didn't. The mood seemed to defuse a bit, though Xi still felt incredibly nervous inside. Her heart was racing.

 _I made the right choice, didn't I? I love Shifu..._

As if reading her thoughts, he embraced her, forcing her gaze to the elegant décor of the guest room behind him.

 _... More than I love this palace; my throne. I don't need it all to have my happy ending... Do I?_

She bit her lip. She was grateful Shifu couldn't see her face, for streaked upon it was the guilt of her thoughts. She held him tighter. She did not want him to think, for one second, that she regretted her choice. But she couldn't convince herself. Gently, Shifu moved away. She quickly repressed her expression. He looked flustered; he still wasn't really used to this whole affection thing.

"You're making the right decision," he said, giving her the reassurance he didn't know she needed, "not just for us, but for everyone." Despite the fact that she had dug this hole for herself, Shifu couldn't help but feel an overwhelming sense of gratitude and respect. That she was willing to accept her faults and right her wrongs, even if it meant at last letting go of this fairy tale ending of true love and royalty and castles, and it was all for him. That much, at least, was admirable. There was an odd guilty pleasure in knowing one was loved so, too.

"I know... I just hope it goes okay." She sounded quiet. _Defeated, or tired?_ Shifu wondered.

"If it doesn't, we'll get through it." Shifu finally managed a smile. But his words seemed to have the opposite effect; Xi looked appalled.

"No! The minute something goes wrong, we're going to pretend you and I are strictly business. I won't have you dragged down with me." Much to Xi's astonishment, Shifu chuckled.

"Is your first instinct always to lie?"

Crestfallen, Xi flattened her ears against her head. Shifu patted her arm.

"I'm sorry, was that too soon? Well, I guess we've got a bad habit to help you break."

Xi still didn't look placated.

"Are you sure you trust me? After all this?" She looked to him, a desperate need for acceptance in her eyes. But Shifu knew his answer; he had known it since the fight in town earlier. He returned her gaze with one of steel. Xi always found that look uncomfortable, as it meant he was about to be either incredibly serious or incredibly angry.

"You are dishonest, Xi. When you find yourself in trouble, or when you find something you want, you lie and lie until whatever issue is gone -"

She hung her head in shame.

"-But," he smiled, "I know you've never once lied in a way to hurt me. Even now, you were only trying to protect me, yourself, everything you love... Your decision was poor, and your actions were inexcusable, but I... I understand why you did what you did... It is forgiveable, if you work to overcome your mistakes." He paused, thinking it over. Oogway had always asked him to practice compassion, that sometimes even seemingly cruel acts were products of confusion and fear, and that those things deserved understanding and forgiveness. _We all make mistakes; there is no peace without forgiveness._

"I trust you."

Xi could see a new warmth in his expression. She felt as if a massive weight, a weight she had been bearing for longer than she could remember, had been lifted from her. The weight of a crown, a palace, an empire.

"You don't know how much it means to hear you say that." _Just to reassure him that he made the right choice..._

She hooked her arm around his waist and pulled him close. He looked a little surprised, and cleared his throat.

"So, what are you going to tell them?"

"That I've held the throne long enough, and I'm retiring," she put on her most dramatic voice, as if she were reading a story, "to the quiet countryside, where I will live on a farm with the most wonderful guy in all of China. See? None of that's a lie."

Shifu chuckled at her theatrics, feeling more at-ease now.

"Hmm. And what kind of farm are we going to have?"

"A Kung Fu farm, of course." She gave him a sly smile.

"Oh, of course." His sarcastic reply matched the sarcastic nod of his head. The two shared a small laugh. As the moment faded, Xi's gaze drifted to the window.

"Goodness, it's gotten late," she used her free hand to fluff up the fur on her cheeks, "mind if I stay here for the night?"

"You can do what you want, it's your guest room after all. For now, anyway."

"Oh, Shifu. Ever the romantic, hm?" She playfully rolled her eyes. Shifu responded with a light laugh. He enjoyed pretending to wind her up, and she enjoyed pretending to be wound up.

"Hmm, it's a tough decision but I _suppose_ I'll be staying here, then..."

* * *

Xi hummed as she walked down the steps to the palace garden. This wasn't the large, impressive garden occasionally open to the public, but her own, small, private garden that she had her servants grow fruits in. She was a fussy eater, and only liked fresh foods. The morning sun had barely risen, but it was already projecting its warmth across the land. It seemed like it was going to be a beautiful day. Shifu was still up in the guest room, still asleep. Xi had come down in the hopes of making him breakfast.

 _This could be nice_ , she thought. _Shifu and I could have a little house... I could watch him train during the day, and try to persuade him to break for a picnic. But he won't want to, of course. Heck, maybe I'd even try and train with him. Unless he wants to go back to the Jade Palace..._ She looked up at her own palace, standing proudly in the dim glow of daybreak. _Then again, maybe it would be nice to return to a palace. A palace and a prince, that's what happiness is made of, isn't it?_ She turned back to her plants for just a moment, and heard a voice behind her, one that made her blood run cold.

"Good morning, empress." Master Oogway greeted her, ever his cheerful self. It were as if their previous meeting hadn't happened at all.

Xi's ears pricked up straight. She turned, slowly, to face him, trying with all her strength to summon a smile.

"... Morning, Master Oogway. Um, you do know, and forgive me if this is rude, that this is my _private_ garden?" In all her efforts to hide the irritation in her voice, another emotion slipped through. Fear.

"Oh, yes. Your guard let me through."

"Which guard?" Xi narrowed her eyes.

"Your captain, Jian."

Xi's heart plummeted like a stone. Still, Oogway seemed perky enough... Maybe Jian hadn't said anything.

"Um, what can I help you with?"

"It's me who will be helping you, that is, if you let me." Oogway descended down the steps to join her.

"Thanks, but I don't need your help with anything."

Oogway's expression turned grave.

"Xīyǒu, you've done so well. Don't turn back now."

Xi rolled her eyes. She did not have the patience for this right now. She headed back towards the steps, but only got as far as the first. Oogway seemed to be reading her mind, she was sure.

"... It's not what Jian said, it's what he didn't say. I know what happened in the Valley yesterday -"

Xi took a sharp intake of breath; her eyes widened.

"How did you...?"

"-You need to stop lying to everyone, and worse, yourself."

Xi's fists clenched. This tortoise had the irritating ability to boil her blood like no other. Not because of he himself, but because he always just knew too much. And he had a nasty habit of meddling. Through gritted teeth, Xi forced her words out.

" _Thanks_ , but Shifu and I have already got it sorted."

"Not all of it," came his unwanted reply, "I see you still clinging to this old dream."

"What of it?! You think you have me all sussed out, don't you?" She turned to face him, "well you're wrong!"

"Am I? Is it wrong of me to say that you still wish you'll have a palace to return home to? Am I wrong to say that you're still not planning on being entirely honest with your subjects? You have mended things with Shifu, but what about Jian? What about my other students? Xīyǒu..." Oogway approached her, placing his clawed hand on her arm. She found it anything but comforting. He continued, "... You cannot keep stacking stories on your damaged throne. You need to let it fall, and rebuild from the ashes."

 _Why was he doing this? Things were going to be perfect. She could've still had it all..._ Xi swiped his hand away.

"Don't tell me what you think I need! I know what I need: I need my happy ending!"

"And you will have it. But you need to let go of this fantasy. This dream is not important, it's nothing b-"

"Don't tell me it's nothing!" Xi was shouting now. She didn't care who heard. "It was my everything! I spent all my life as the bad guy in a fairy tale; the evil spirit who gets banished at the end, while everyone else lives happily every after. Well, _I_ want to live happily ever after! I wanted to be the princess, who lives in the castle and is loved by everyone! It was my dream! Mine! Ever since I was young... And I saw how my kind of spirit is treated..." Nothing could stop the out-pour of emotions now. Years of pent-up guilt, anger and hope all congealed into one ugly emotion, each indistinguishable from the other. Breathing heavily she continued, "... So what if I had to lie? So what if I had to hurt and blackmail people? I had to pursue it, I had to fight to keep it! And after I met Shifu... Maybe I could've let it go... Or maybe you're right, maybe I never could..." She sighed and shook her head. "... But I won't let you take it away from me!" With the speed and precision of lightning, she tackled Oogway to the ground, poised above him.

 _Why isn't he doing anything? He could easily overpower me..._

"Whether it's by my hand or yours, it's going to be taken away... " Oogway looked up at her with nothing more than pity.

"I don't want your threats! I don't want your pity! I want you out of the way!" She felt hot tears in the corner of her eyes and she raised a trembling hand. She had lost complete control, submitting herself entirely to those animalistic emotions. Years worth of memories assaulted her mind; memories of being chased from towns, memories of being banished for being a 'evil' spirit, memories of becoming exactly what she claimed she wasn't when she turned on those closest to her, who were ultimately only trying to help free her...

 _Why aren't you fighting me? Please, fight back. Stop me._

But Oogway made no movement. _It's as if he knows I won't, I can't, do it..._ Suddenly, in her mind, her vision of what could've been: Her and Shifu, living together happily at the palace. They walk through the town, and are welcomed and praised by all... Everyone looks happy, everyone is loved. No longer just a bad spirit. The vision contorted her face into a snarl. The tears escaped, falling uselessly onto Oogway's shell.

 _I'll do anything for my dream._

Sharp claws unsheathed, and she drew her hand back, hovering over Oogway's neck. But she could not find the courage nor maliciousness to do it.

 _Anything._

"... Xi...?"

She froze. The only voice that could cleave her soul in two on the spot. She turned her head. Shifu was standing at the top of the steps.


End file.
